--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The music that I have always liked has…" description: "\"The music that I have always liked has always been more rooted in anger or sadness or alienation or any of those inspirational factors that drove rock'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/885/dj-shadow-9306_aesthetic_the-music-that-i-have-always-liked-has-a_1908946.jpg" --- # The music that I have always liked has always been more… ![“The music that I have always liked has always been more rooted in anger or sadness or alienation or any of those inspirational factors that drove rock'n'roll, gospel, and blues. I tend not to value a more pop aesthetic.” quote by DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/885/dj-shadow-9306_aesthetic_the-music-that-i-have-always-liked-has-a_1908946.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/885/dj-shadow-9306_aesthetic_the-music-that-i-have-always-liked-has-a_1908946.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/885/dj-shadow-9306_aesthetic_the-music-that-i-have-always-liked-has-a_1908946.jpg) > “The music that I have always liked has always been more rooted in anger or sadness or alienation or any of those inspirational factors that drove rock'n'roll, gospel, and blues. I tend not to value a more pop aesthetic.” [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prefers music driven by strong emotions like anger, sadness, or alienation over lighter pop sounds, valuing depth and authenticity. **In simple terms:** He likes intense, emotional music more than pop. Key Takeaway Seek depth, not just surface appeal. Themes music preference emotion authenticity genre Mood reflective introspective passionate Type analytical personal When to use this quote - listening to rock, blues, gospel - creating emotionally charged playlists - analyzing lyrical themes - curating deep‑track collections - discussing music with peers Key Concepts psychology of music cultural influence emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - What emotions do you find most compelling in music? - How does emotional depth affect your connection to a song? A Different Perspective Pop music can be commercially successful but may lack the raw emotional resonance the speaker seeks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aesthetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetic/) [Alienation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alienation/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Factors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factors/) [Gospel Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel-blues-1077354/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-liked-649951/) [Pop Aesthetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-aesthetic-2862924/) [Pops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pops/) [Rock n roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-n-roll/) [Rock Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-roll/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Rooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooted/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I've grown up on gospel and blues music, and now it's a huge part of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-booker/i-ve-grown-up-on-gospel-and-blues-music-and-now-it-s-a-huge-part-of/) [Benjamin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-booker/) > [It is secular spiritual music, the gospel blues. It's music from the heart instead of the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-musselwhite/it-is-secular-spiritual-music-the-gospel-blues-it-s-music-from-the/) [Charlie Musselwhite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-musselwhite/) > [Funk, gospel, blues is all out of slavery times, out of depression, out of sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/funk-gospel-blues-is-all-out-of-slavery-times-out-of-depression-out/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [My heroes were gospel blues players like Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, not whoever was number one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/my-heroes-were-gospel-blues-players-like-blind-willie-johnson-charley/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I remember listening to like gospel-y blues tunes. I'd just listen to the rhythm and the music was upbeat. Always upbeat if you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kiwanuka/i-remember-listening-to-like-gospel-y-blues-tunes-i-d-just-listen-to/) [Michael Kiwanuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kiwanuka/) > [“…Charles laughingly observed,'Gospel and the blues are really, if you break it down, almost the same thing. It's just a question of whether you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-werner/charles-laughingly-observed-gospel-and-the-blues-are-really-if-you/) [Craig Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-werner/) > [When we respect our blood ancestors and our spiritual ancestors, we feel rooted. If we find ways to cherish and develop our spiritual heritage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-respect-our-blood-ancestors-and-our-spiritual-ancestors-we/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [I didn't like any British music before The Beatles. For me, it was all about black American music. But then I became a successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu/i-didn-t-like-any-british-music-before-the-beatles-for-me-it-was-all/) [Lulu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lulu/) > [Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to play music that I liked, and even when I was in cover bands when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-always-wanted-to-play-music-that-i-liked-and/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [Anyone of any age or background who loved pop music liked our songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/anyone-of-any-age-or-background-who-loved-pop-music-liked-our-songs/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Every single time, I just want to make good music that people can listen to 100 times... I want people to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/every-single-time-i-just-want-to-make-good-music-that-people-can/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [My first albums as a little kid were Elton John's 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,' Simon and Garfunkel's 'Greatest Hits' - and 'Workingman's Dead.' How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-first-albums-as-a-little-kid-were-elton-john-s-goodbye-yellow/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I went to a Catholic all-girls school, and we would play cassettes of music we liked, and when it was my turn, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/i-went-to-a-catholic-all-girls-school-and-we-would-play-cassettes-of/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [I listened to a lot of reggae music, a lot of Caribbean, a lot of gospel, a lot of rock, a lot of country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-james/i-listened-to-a-lot-of-reggae-music-a-lot-of-caribbean-a-lot-of/) [Ro James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-james/) > [My music was liked by the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/my-music-was-liked-by-the-people/) [Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/) ## More by DJ Shadow > [Through it all, the words of John Peel echo strongly within me: you have support the music that's being made now. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/through-it-all-the-words-of-john-peel-echo-strongly-within-me-you/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Like a lot of other DJs, I've been wondering when the first DJ game was going to happen. Somebody even pitched me on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/like-a-lot-of-other-djs-i-ve-been-wondering-when-the-first-dj-game/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I was asked to do TV ads for Macintosh. Nowadays, I think anybody would jump at that but, at the time, it didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-was-asked-to-do-tv-ads-for-macintosh-nowadays-i-think-anybody-would/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Sometimes there's this balance: if you try to clear 10 things you'll probably get lucky and be able to clear most of them, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/sometimes-there-s-this-balance-if-you-try-to-clear-10-things-you-ll/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [When I make music, it takes me two hours to get into the flow. To me it's like tapping into some kind of subconscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/when-i-make-music-it-takes-me-two-hours-to-get-into-the-flow-to-me-it/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [If I wanted to contribute to the hyphy movement, what good is it making a hyphy record that isn't embraced by that community?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/if-i-wanted-to-contribute-to-the-hyphy-movement-what-good-is-it/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I've always feel like it's been my place to offer an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-ve-always-feel-like-it-s-been-my-place-to-offer-an-alternative/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I think a band - even a band that's been around as long as the Rolling Stones - I think that's still the formula.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-think-a-band-even-a-band-that-s-been-around-as-long-as-the-rolling/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I would agree with you that there's 90% imitation and 10% innovation. That's true of any genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-would-agree-with-you-that-there-s-90-imitation-and-10-innovation/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I always like to remain a fan, put it that way: and I like to hold the idealised version of what these artists are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-always-like-to-remain-a-fan-put-it-that-way-and-i-like-to-hold-the/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Any good album title has multiple meanings, and I like choosing titles where I find myself repeating it, almost like a mantra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/any-good-album-title-has-multiple-meanings-and-i-like-choosing-titles/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [The story I always recite - and have had to recite so many times over the years to different lawyers and different people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/the-story-i-always-recite-and-have-had-to-recite-so-many-times-over/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I almost feel like there's some kind of connection that I'm having trouble putting in to words, in the same sense that I'm learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-almost-feel-like-there-s-some-kind-of-connection-that-i-m-having/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I think I would be much more enthusiastic about a band that covered more than just one particular album of mine. I don't ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-think-i-would-be-much-more-enthusiastic-about-a-band-that-covered/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Yeah, I do. HipHop was, though I would not say all, cause I try to keep myself open to other things, but nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/yeah-i-do-hiphop-was-though-i-would-not-say-all-cause-i-try-to-keep/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) [Explore all 74 DJ Shadow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) ## More Aesthetic quotes > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [I don't think I was ever thinking critically about my aesthetic, I think it's enough when you're little just to understand that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-thinking-critically-about-my-aesthetic-i/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I'm kind of still down with Virg Woolf on this one: "women must kill the aesthetic ideal through which they themselves have been 'killed'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/i-m-kind-of-still-down-with-virg-woolf-on-this-one-women-must-kill/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [There is a certain aesthetic pleasure in trying to imagine the unimaginable and failing, if you are a reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/there-is-a-certain-aesthetic-pleasure-in-trying-to-imagine-the/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [I try to get the hip-hop aesthetic, most times without an MC. I don't use a rapper or a DJ to give it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/i-try-to-get-the-hip-hop-aesthetic-most-times-without-an-mc-i-don-t/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [It's so important what you're doing in your life. It's tremendously important to the work, and no aesthetic theories take that into account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maus/it-s-so-important-what-you-re-doing-in-your-life-it-s-tremendously/) [John Maus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maus/) > [It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/it-is-not-necessary-to-have-an-extravagant-food-budget-in-order-to/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [In reality no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely for the protection it affords against cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/in-reality-no-food-is-valued-solely-for-its-nutritive-power-and-no/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/art-is-realistic-when-it-strives-to-express-an-ethical-ideal-realism/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I had always wanted to expand to beauty, but I knew I wanted to be able to translate my design aesthetic in an authentic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ronson/i-had-always-wanted-to-expand-to-beauty-but-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be/) [Charlotte Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ronson/) > [I wanted the press to become something of a movement. Not a movement committed to a particular 'ism', but a gathering together of writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-metcalf/i-wanted-the-press-to-become-something-of-a-movement-not-a-movement/) [John Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-metcalf/) [Browse all 953 Aesthetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The music that I have always liked has always been more rooted in anger or sadness or alienation or any of those inspirational factors that drove rock'n'roll, gospel, and blues. 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